Conventional digital cellular radio telecommunications systems which incorporate satellite switching centers orbiting the earth utilize packetized data communication for communication between subscriber units and the satellite switching centers. The link between subscriber units and the satellite is a radio frequency ("RF") link which is typically a microwave L-band resource. In conventional arrangements, a channel resource of the communication link is designated or assigned to a subscriber unit for communications. The channel resource is retained until the subscriber unit releases it (or the satellite switching center loses communication with the subscriber unit). Then, at the time a call is made, an L-band resource is requested, and when the L-band resource becomes available, it is reserved for the use of the subscriber unit and cannot be used by any other subscriber unit. Although the satellite system provides for packetized data communication, the number of users which may be accommodated is limited to the number of available channels.
Accordingly, there is a significant need for a satellite telecommunication system that increases the number of calls that can be made using a limited amount of available channels and bandwidth.